Plano, Texas
}} |subdivision_type1 = State |subdivision_name1 = |subdivision_type2 = Counties |subdivision_name2 = Collin |government_type = Council-Manager |leader_title = City council |leader_name = Mayor Harry LaRosiliere |leader_title1 = City manager |leader_name1 = Bruce D. Glasscock |area_magnitude = 1 E9 |area_total_km2 = 185.5 |area_land_km2 = 185.5 |area_water_km2 = 0.2 |population_as_of = 2012 |population_metro = 6,426,214 (DFW Metroplex) |population_total = 269,776 (city proper) |population_density_km2 = 1474.99 |population_blank1_title = Demonym |population_blank1 = Planoite |timezone = CST |utc_offset = -6 |timezone_DST = CDT |utc_offset_DST = -5 |unit_pref = Imperial |area_total_sq_mi = 71.6 |area_land_sq_mi = 71.6 |area_water_sq_mi = 0.1 |elevation_m = 206 |elevation_ft = 675 |coordinates_display = it |latd = 33|latm = 01|lats = 11|latNS = N|longd = 96|longm = 41|longs = 57|longEW = W |website = |established_title = Incorporated |established_date = 1873 |postal_code_type = ZIP codes |postal_code = 75023-26, 75074-75, 75086, 75093-94 |area_code = 214, 469, 972 |blank_name = FIPS code |blank_info = 48-58016 |blank1_name = GNIS feature ID |blank1_info = 1344166 |footnotes = }} Plano ( ) is a city in the state of Texas, located mostly within Collin County. The city's population was 269,776 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth most populous city in the state of Texas (Corpus Christi is ranked at #8 and Laredo is ranked at #10) and the 70th most populous city in the United States. Plano is located within the metropolitan area commonly referred to as the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The city is home to many corporate headquarters: Alliance Data, Cinemark Theatres, Dell Services, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Ericsson, Frito-Lay, HP Enterprise Services, Huawei, J. C. Penney, Pizza Hut, Rent-A-Center, Traxxas, Siemens PLM Software, and Toyota Motors USA. In 2005, 2006, and 2011, Plano was designated the best place to live in the Western United States by CNN Money magazine. In 2006, Plano was selected as the 11th best place to live in the United States by CNN Money magazine. It was also selected as the safest city in America in 2010 and 2011 by Forbes. Plano schools consistently score among the highest in the nation. Plano was rated the 10th Best Suburb for Education in the Nation in 2014 due to having one of the lowest student-teacher ratios (14 to 1), a high school graduation rate of 94 percent and some of the highest test scores in the nation. It has been rated as the wealthiest city in the United States by CNN Money, and the United States Census Bureau declared Plano the wealthiest city of 2008 by comparing the median household income for all U.S. cities whose populations were greater than 250,000. In 2008, Forbes.com selected Plano, University Park, and Highland Park as the three "Top Suburbs To Live Well" of Dallas. The annual Plano Balloon Festival and the Plano International Festival are two of the city's premiere cultural and entertainment events. History by A.E. Downs, Boston. Published by T. M. Fowler & James B. Moyer. Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas]] Settlers came to the area near present-day Plano in the early 1840s. Facilities such as a sawmill, a gristmill, and a store soon brought more people to the area. Mail service was established, and after rejecting several names for the budding town (including naming it in honor of then-President Millard Fillmore), the locals suggested the name Plano (from the Spanish word for "flat"), as a reference to the local terrain. The name was accepted by the post office. In 1872, the completion of the Houston and Central Texas Railway helped the city grow, and the city was officially incorporated in 1873. The population grew to more than 500 by 1874. In 1881, a fire raged through the central business district, destroying most of the buildings. The town was rebuilt and business again flourished through the 1880s. Also in 1881, the city assumed responsibility for what would eventually become Plano Independent School District (PISD), ending the days of Plano being served only by private schools. The population of Plano initially grew slowly, reaching 1,304 in 1900 and increasing to 3,695 in 1960. By 1970, Plano began to feel some of the boom its neighbors had experienced after World War II. A series of public works projects and a change in taxes that removed the farming community from the town helped increase the overall population of Plano. In 1970, the population reached 17,872, and by 1980, it had exploded to 72,000. Sewers, schools and street development kept pace with this massive increase, largely because of Plano's flat topography, grid layout and planning initiatives. In 1981 the Plano City Council adopted the city’s official logo based on a design submitted via a community contest by longtime Plano resident James R. (Jim) Wainner, a professional artist and graphic designer. During the 1980s, many large corporations moved their headquarters to Plano, including J. C. Penney and Frito-Lay, which helped the city grow. By 1990, the population reached 128,713, dwarfing the county seat of McKinney. In 1994, the city was recognized as an All-America City. By 2000, the population grew to 222,030, making it one of the largest suburbs of Dallas. Plano is completely locked in by other municipalities and cannot expand in area, and there is little undeveloped land remaining within the city limits. However, one large tract of land is being developed as of July 2012. Turnpike Commons at the intersection of Renner Rd and the George Bush Turnpike (bordered also by Shiloh Rd to the east). The development will feature apartments, medical facilities, restaurants, a Race Trac gas station, and a hotel. In 2013, Plano received top-scoring nationally in a livability index according to an algorithm created by AreaVibes.com, a Toronto-based company specializing in such data. The chart can be found here Best Places to Live in America. AreaVibes ranked Plano at the top of the list of U.S. cities with populations between 100,000 and 10,000,000. Another chart, Best Places to Live in 2013, also has Plano ranked number 1. Follow this link to see the chart Top 10 Best Places to Live. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, Plano has a total area of 71.6 square miles (185.5 km2). As of 2009 western Plano has a higher concentration of Asians, while eastern Plano has a higher concentration of Hispanics and Latinos.Brettell, Caroline B. '"Big D" Incorporating New Immigrants in a Sunbelt Suburban Metropolis' (Chapter 3). In: Singer, Audrey, Susan Wiley Hardwick, and Caroline Brettell. Twenty-First Century Gateways: Immigrant Incorporation in Suburban America (James A. Johnson metro series). Brookings Institution Press, 2009. ISBN 0815779283, 9780815779285. Start p. 53. CITED: p.61. Climate Plano is in the humid subtropical climate zone. The highest recorded temperature was 118 °F (48 °C) in 1936. On average, the coolest month is January and the warmest is July. The lowest recorded temperature was -7 °F (-22 °C) in 1930. The maximum average precipitation occurs in May. Demographics As of the census of 2010, Plano had 259,841 people, 99,131 households and 69,464 families, up from 80,875 households and 60,575 families in the 2000 census. The population density was 3,629.1 people per square mile (1,400.8/km2). There were 103,672 housing units at an average density of 1,448.6 per square mile (559.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 66.9% White, 7.6% Black, 0.36% Native American, 16.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.86% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.7% of the population. Non-Hispanic Whites were 58.4% of the population, down from 85.4% in 1990. Of the 99,131 households, 35.8% had children under the age of 18. Married couples accounted for 56.7%; 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. Approximately 24.4% of all households were individuals, and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61, and the average family size was 3.15. Data indicates that 28.7% of Plano's population is under the age of 18, 7.0% is 18 to 24, 36.5% is 25 to 44, 22.9% is 45 to 64, and 4.9% who is 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females, there are 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 97.2 males. According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $84,492, and the median income for a family is $101,616. About 3.0% of families and 4.3% of the population live below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over. Plano was the highest income place with a population of 130,000 or more in 2000. Plano was ranked the most affluent city with a population over 250,000 in the United States, with the lowest poverty rate of 6.3%. Its neighbor to the northwest, Frisco, was ranked the richest city for the population of under 250,000 in the United States, with a 2.7% poverty rate. In 2007, Plano had the highest median income of a city with a population exceeding 250,000 in the nation, at $84,492. As of 2010, Plano has a median income of $103,913 annually. According to crime statistics, there were four homicides in Plano in 2006, the lowest homicide rate of all U.S. cities of 250,000 or more population. Foreign-born residents As of the 2000 U.S. Census, of the foreign-born residents, 17% originated from China, 9% originated from India, and 4% originated from Vietnam;Brettell, Caroline B. '"Big D" Incorporating New Immigrants in a Sunbelt Suburban Metropolis' (Chapter 3). In: Singer, Audrey, Susan Wiley Hardwick, and Caroline Brettell. Twenty-First Century Gateways: Immigrant Incorporation in Suburban America (James A. Johnson metro series). Brookings Institution Press, 2009. ISBN 0815779283, 9780815779285. Start p. 53. CITED: p.64. a total of 31% of foreign-born residents came from these three countries. That year, 22% of Plano's foreign-born originated in Mexico. The reputation of the Plano Independent School District has attracted many Indian residents. Chinese Americans Plano, along with Houston, has one of the state's two major settlements of Chinese Americans.Railey, Kimberley. "Cornyn seeks to lure Chinese Americans to GOP" (Archive). The Dallas Morning News. September 3, 2014. Retrieved on September 22, 2014. The 2010 U.S. Census stated that there were 14,500 ethnic Chinese in Plano. Out of the cities with 250,000 and more residents, Plano has the sixth largest percentage of ethnic Chinese, making up 5.2% of the city's population. Charlie Yue, the executive vice president of the Association of Chinese Professionals, stated that he estimated that about 30,000 Plano residents are Chinese and that many "don't participate in government activities, like the census."Kripke, Pamela Gwyn. "Why 30,000 Chinese People Call Plano Home" (Archive). D Magazine. June 2012. Retrieved on September 27, 2014. Chinese professionals began to settle Plano by 1991.Meyers, Jessica. "Rare Chinese bilingual program highlights Plano schools’ diversity" (Archive). The Dallas Morning News. November 4, 2011. Retrieved on September 22, 2014. As of 2011 the Chinese restaurants in DFW catering to ethnic Chinese are mainly in Plano and Richardson.Brenner, Leslie. "Best in DFW: Chinese restaurants" (Archive). The Dallas Morning News. March 9, 2011. Updated February 10, 2013. Retrieved on September 22, 2014. Most of the DFW-area Chinese cultural organizations are headquartered in Plano and Richardson. Plano has six Chinese churches. Economy headquarters office building in Plano, Texas]] , Plano's upscale shopping mall ]] According to the Plano 2011 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in Plano are: Approximately 80% of Plano's visitors are business travelers, due to its close proximity to Dallas and the many corporations headquartered in Plano. The city also has a convention center that is owned and operated by the city. Plano has made a concerted effort to draw retail to its downtown area and the Shops at Legacy in an effort to boost sales tax returns. The Shops at Legacy area has apartments, shops, and restaurants constructed with the New Urbanism philosophy. An experimental luxury Walmart Supercenter is located at Park Boulevard and the Dallas North Tollway. Headquarters of major corporations Some of the country's largest and most recognized companies have their headquarters in Plano. Tree-lined Legacy Drive in the 75024 ZIP code, between Preston Road and the Dallas North Tollway, has many corporate campuses. The following companies have headquarters or major regional offices in Plano: * Acision * Adams Golf * Alliance Data * CA Technologies * Capital One Financial Services * Cookies by Design * Dell Services * Dr Pepper Snapple Group * Cinemark Theatres * Crossmark * Ericsson * Expert Global Solutions * Frito-Lay * Gearbox Software * GENBAND * HP Enterprise Services * Infosys Technologies * JCPenney * Pizza Hut * Rent-A-Center * Robot Entertainment * TEK * Safety-Kleen * Siemens PLM Software * Tektronix Communications * Traxxas * Tyler Technologies * Yum! Restaurants International In 2014 Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. announced its U.S. headquarters will move from Torrance, California in the Los Angeles metropolitan area to Plano.Hirsch, Jerry and David Undercoffler. "Toyota to move jobs and marketing headquarters from Torrance to Texas." Los Angeles Times. April 27, 2014. Retrieved on April 29, 2014. Parks and recreation Although Plano is named for the flat plains of the area, large trees abound in the city's many parks. One such tree, estimated to be over 500 years old, resides in Bob Woodruff park near Rowlett Creek on the city's east sidePlano’s Quin-centennial Bur Oak) The two main Open Space Preserves, Bob Woodruff Park (321 acres) and Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve (801 acres), are connected by biking trails making the green space one large uninterrupted park space that is larger than Central Park in New York City (840 acres). Total acreage of all spaces managed by the Parks department currently totals 3,830.81. The Plano Master Plan has the acreage growing to 4,092.63 when complete. There are five recreation centers. They are Tom Muehlenbeck Center, Carpenter Park Recreation Center, Oak Point Recreation Center, Liberty Recreation Center, and Douglass Community Center. * Neighborhood Parks: 249.13 acres * Linear Parks: 629.27 acres * Community Parks: 1,120.65 acres * Open Space Preserves: 1,324.13 acres * Special Use Areas: 46.57 acres * Golf Courses: 461.06 acres Law and government Local government Plano is governed by the council-manager form of government, with a part-time city council that sets city policy and a city manager who is responsible for city operations. The Plano City Council consists of eight members elected by popular on a nonpartisan basis in staggered odd-year elections every other May. Council members and the mayor are elected by and serve the city at large. However, the council members serving in places one, two, three, and four must reside in that district, and the mayor always serves in place six. The mayor receives a yearly stipend of $8,400, and each council member receives $6,000. All council members, including the mayor, serve a maximum of two consecutive four-year terms. The mayor and city council members could serve for a maximum of three consecutive three-year terms until voters approved changes to the city charter in 2011. The 38th and current Mayor of Plano is businessman Harry LaRosiliere, who was elected as the first African-American mayor of Plano in May 2013. Plano elected its first African-American city council member, David Perry, in 1990. On December 8, 2014, the city council passed an amendment to its civil rights act to include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected. The amendment has not taken effect yet. In the 2008 fiscal year Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city reported $194 million in revenue, $212 million in expenditures, $278 million in total assets, $31.4 million in total liabilities, and $337 million in cash and investments. Plano is part of the North Texas Municipal Water District headquartered in Wylie, Texas. Lake Lavon is the principal source of raw water for the district. Plano's Water Distribution System: * 11 Elevated Towers * 12 Ground Storage Tanks * 54.5 Million Gallon Water Storage Capacity * 5 Pump Stations * 225 Million Gallon Daily Pumping Capacity * 1,080 Miles of Water Mains * 65,965 Metered Service Connections Fire and EMS services are provided by the Plano Fire Department. Politics Dallas' wealthy northern suburbs are overwhelmingly conservative and Plano, the largest of these suburbs, was ranked as the fifth most conservative city in America by the Bay Area Center for Voting Research in 2005.Bay Area Center for Voting Research Retrieved January 7, 2014. Cathie Adams, a long-time conservative activist and past chairwoman of the Republican Party of Texas is from Plano State representation Plano is split between the 66th and 67th Districts in the Texas House of Representatives, and is wholly contained in Texas Senate District 8. Republican Van Taylor has represented Texas House District 66 since 2010, and Republican Jeff Leach has represented Texas House District 67 since 2013. Republican Ken Paxton has represented Texas Senate District 8 since 2013, replacing long-time Senator Florence Shapiro, who had represented the district since 1993. Paxton has declared his candidacy for Texas Attorney General, and Van Taylor has announced his intention to fill Paxton's seat. Federal representation Republican Congressman Sam Johnson has represented Texas's 3rd congressional district since 1991 (although Plano has only been in the district since 2003). Plano is represented in the United States Senate by Republicans Ted Cruz and John Cornyn The United States Postal Service has several post offices in the area. There are full service offices located on 18th St., Jupiter Rd., Coit Rd., Parker Rd.,and Hedgcoxe Rd. Fire Department (Plano Fire Department) The Plano Fire Department consists of 314 full-time firefighters who operate out of 13 stations. Police Department (Plano Police Department) The Plano Police Department is an accredited agency and is the principal law enforcement agency serving the City of Plano, Texas. The department is led by Chief of Police Gregory W. Rushin, a former FBI agent, with over 34 years of law enforcement experience. The Plano Police Department has about 600 sworn officers and civilian employees. The department is a member of the North Texas Crime Commission and utilizes the Crime Stoppers program In 2010 and 2011, Forbes.com ranked Plano the "Safest City in America" for cities with populations over 250,000. In 2012, Plano was listed among the 10 safest cities to drive in according to the Center for Disease Control Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. In 2013, BusinessInsider.com and LawStreet.com each ranked Plano among the top safest cities in America. Plano was ranked #3 in cities with populations over 200,000 and was ranked #1 in cities over 250,000. In 2014, Movoto.com ranked Plano the #1 safest city in America with a population over 250,000 and #4 overall. TIME Magazine named Plano one of the 10 healthiest places to live in their feature book "Healthiest Places to Live" and Plano was listed as the "Best Place for Staying Safe". Plano is consistently recognized and awarded by the National Association of Town Watch (National Night Out Awards, the National Sheriff's Association, and the U.S. Department of Justice for "Excellence in Neighborhood Watch". The Plano Police Department has an award winning Crime Prevention Unit, SWAT Team, and Law Enforcement Explorers program. Education There are 70 public schools, 16 private schools, two campuses of the Collin County Community College District (Collin College), and six libraries in Plano. Primary and secondary schools ]] The Plano Independent School District serves most of the city. Student enrollment has increased dramatically over the past few decades. Plano has a unique high school system, in which grades 9-10 attend a high school and grades 11-12 attend a senior high. There are three senior high schools (grades 11-12) in PISD; Plano East, Plano, and Plano West. In Newsweek's 2012 list of best national high schools, Plano West was ranked as 63rd, Plano Senior as 108th, and Plano East as 243rd. Small portions of Plano are served by the Lewisville Independent School District, Frisco Independent School District, and Allen Independent School District. In 2012, Plano Independent School District announced that 128 seniors were selected as National Merit Semifinalists. Plano has given $1.2 billion in property tax revenue to other school districts through the Texas "Robin Hood" law, which requires school districts that are designated as affluent to give a percentage of their property tax revenue to other districts outside of the county. In 2008, PISD gave $86 million. Controversy erupted when the salaries of teachers in less affluent districts, like Garland ISD, exceeded the salaries of teachers in districts that had to pay into "Robin Hood".Plano ISD mutes criticism of 'Robin Hood' as its annual funding hit declines | Dallasnews.com - News for Dallas, Texas - The Dallas Morning News. Dallasnews.com. Retrieved on 2013-07-17. In the 2013-14 school year, Plano ISD will open two 4-year high school Academies, one focusing on STEAM (STEM education plus Media Arts) and the other on health science. Additionally, the district will modify its existing International Baccalaureate program to allow freshman and sophomores in the program to be housed at Plano East Senior High School. In addition to Catholic primary and middle schools, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas operates John Paul II High School in Plano. Non-Catholic private schools in Plano include Plano Christian Academy, Great Lakes Academy, Spring Creek Academy, Prince of Peace Lutheran School, and Prestonwood Christian Academy. In addition, the Collin County campus of Coram Deo Academy is located in the One Church (previously Four Corners Church) facility in Plano."Collin County Campus." Coram Deo Academy. Retrieved on October 12, 2011. "Located at One Church- 2400 State Highway 121, Plano, TX" Colleges and universities in Plano, Texas]] Plano is the home to two campuses of Collin College, one at the Courtyard Center on Preston Park Boulevard and the larger Spring Creek Campus on Spring Creek Parkway at Jupiter. SMU-in-Plano, formerly SMU-in-Legacy, a branch of Southern Methodist University, is a graduate university serving the needs of 3,000 working professionals. Its academic programs include business, engineering and computer training, education and continuing education. It also features The Guildhall at SMU, which offers a masters program in video game development. Public libraries The Plano Public Library System (PPLS) consists of the W.O. Haggard, Jr. Library, the Maribelle M. Davis Library, the Gladys Harrington Library, the Christopher A. Parr Library, the L.E.R. Schimelpfenig Library, and the Municipal Reference Library. The Haggard library houses the system's administrative offices."General Information." Plano Public Library System. Retrieved on October 17, 2011. "W.O. Haggard, Jr. Library 2501 Coit Road (75075 )" and "Library Administration 2501 Coit Road" Miscellaneous education Many Chinese parents in Plano enroll their children in supplementary schools, where they get additional mathematics education and Chinese language education. HuaYi Education (Simplified Chinese: 华裔中文学校, Traditional Chinese: 華裔中文學校, Pinyin: Huáyì Zhōngwén Xuéxiào; "Ethnic Chinese (non-Chinese citizen of Chinese ancestry) Chinese language School") is a Chinese language after school program located within a shopping center in Plano.Light, Nanette. "Editor's Note: Plano program connects kids to Chinese culture." Neighbors Go Plano. The Dallas Morning News. Published October 5, 2013. Updated October 4, 2013. Retrieved on October 29, 2013.Home page. HuaYi Education. Retrieved on October 29, 2013. Its students are mostly Asian American students enrolled in the Plano Independent School District. It has Mandarin Chinese classes, advanced reading lessons, mathematics lessons, and ping pong programs. Transportation station in Plano, Texas]] Plano is one of 12 suburbs of Dallas that opt into the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) public transportation system. During most of its membership in DART, Plano was lightly served by bus lines, but in recent years, the Red Line of the DART Light Rail project has opened stations in Downtown Plano and at Parker Road, which provide access to commuters traveling to work elsewhere in the Dallas area. Approximately 1% of the city's population uses DART. The Parker Road station charged for parking for non-member city residents from April 2, 2012-April 3, 2014 as a part of the Fair Share Parking initiative. Plano was the first city in Collin County to adopt a master plan for its road system. The use of multi-lane, divided highways for all major roads allows for higher speed limits, generally , but sometimes up to on the northern section of Preston Road. Plano is served directly by several major roadways and freeways. Central Plano is bordered to the east by U.S. Highway 75, the west by Dallas North Tollway, the south by President George Bush Turnpike, and the north by Texas State Highway 121. Preston Road (Texas State Highway 289) is a major thoroughfare that runs through the city. Plano opened a new interchange at Parker Rd. and U.S. 75 in December 2010. The single-point interchange is the first of its kind in Texas. The design is intended to reduce severe congestion at this interchange. According to reports traffic congestion has been reduced 50-75%. Plano is located roughly 30 miles northeast of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport; it is the primary airport serving Plano residents and visitors. Notable people The following is a list of current residents of Plano, who have become famous outside of the community: * Stephen J. Anderson, animated film director * Lance Armstrong, former professional cyclist * Justin Blalock, Offensive Tackle for the Atlanta Falcons * Spencer Boldman, actor known for his role as Adam (a bionic superhero with super strength) on Disney XD original series Lab Rats (TV series) * Kyle Bosworth, national football league, Jacksonville Jaguarshttp://www.uclabruins.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30500&ATCLID=208195620 * James Buescher, NASCAR driver. 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion. * Fred Couples, professional golfer, formerly lived in Plano * Chace Crawford, actor * Kenton Duty, actor known for his role as Gunther Hessenheffer on the Disney Channel original series Shake It Up! * Bob Guccione, publisher of Penthouse * Sean Hennigan, actor who appeared on the PBS series Wishbone * Michael Irvin, former professional football player, Dallas Cowboys * Jimmy King, former member of the Fab Five. * John Leake, former professional football player, Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers * Nastia Liukin, gymnastics, 5-time Olympic medalist including all-around gold and nine-time world medalist * Hunter Mahan, professional golfer * Kevin McHale, actor known for his role as Artie in the television series Glee, singer * Hunter Parrish, actor * Charlie Peprah, Safety, Dallas Cowboys * Boz Scaggs, musician * Meenakshi Seshadri, former Bollywood actress * Florence Shapiro, Republican member of Texas Senate, known for sponsoring "Ashley's Laws" * Lyon Sprague de Camp, fantasy writer * Matt Shaheen, Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from Plano; former Collin Copunty precinct commissioner * Barbara Staff, co-chairman of the 1976 Ronald Reagan Texas presidential primary campaign * Jonathan Stickland, member of the Texas House of Representatives from Tarrant County; born in Plano in 1983 * Van Taylor, incoming Republican state senator from Plano; former state representative; Iraq War officer * Alan Tudyk, actor * Michael Urie, actor known for his role as Marc St. James in the television series Ugly Betty * Danny Worsnop, lead vocalist of British metalcore band Asking Alexandria Sister cities Plano has six sister cities designated by Sister Cities International. This program's presence is seen in Plano ISD schools, where representatives from sister cities often meet and tour. * Ivanovo, Russian Federation * Brampton, Ontario, Canada * Marikina, Philippines * San Pedro Garza García, Mexico * Hsinchu, Taiwan, Republic of China * Port Adelaide-Enfield, Australia Historic sites *Plano Station, Texas Electric Railway (1908) *Heritage Farmstead Museum (1891) For a more thorough list of Plano's history see this link Plano Conservancy's Historic Plano Tour References }} External links * * Plano Economic Development * Plano Convention and Visitors Bureau * Living in Plano & Collin County, TX * * Category:Plano, Texas Category:Cities in Collin County, Texas Category:Cities in Denton County, Texas Category:Cities in Texas Category:Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex Category:Populated places established in 1873